Dissertation: Sustainable Marketing Impact on M&S Product Promotion

This dissertation investigates the impact of sustainable marketing on product promotion, focusing on a case study of Marks & Spencer. It defines sustainable marketing as the promotion of environmentally and socially responsible practices, products, and brand values. The research aims to determine the benefits of sustainable marketing strategies, identify their impact on product promotion, and explore specific strategies that Marks & Spencer can adopt. The literature review covers the benefits of sustainable marketing, such as improved brand image, increased productivity, reduced costs, and attracting new customers. It also highlights the importance of sustainability in meeting current customer needs without compromising future generations. The research methodology and findings further analyze the practical application and effectiveness of sustainable marketing initiatives. Desklib provides students access to similar dissertations and study tools.

Dissertation & PHD Thesis
To determine the impact of sustainable
marketing for the promotion of products: A
study of Marks and Spencer
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Abstract
Sustainability marketing is considering as an effective way to build positive relation with
their customers and also provide them higher quality services as per their needs and wants.
Mainly, sustainability marketing is promotion of environment and socially responsible products
and practices that support company in enhancing their customers base. Along with this,
organizations use sustainable marketing for its particular product and time sensitive cause that
promote company image at competitive market place. the sustainable marketing strategy mainly
involves, CSR activities, Green marketing, implementation of recycling techniques, minimising
wastage, using environmental friendly products and so on, that are effective for the business to
increasing the operations of the business. It aims to improve life quality through promoting
products, services and the ideas which don’t harm the environment. In addition to this,
sustainability is about continuity, adopting behaviour and the practices to ensure that the planet is
inhabitable or the sources are available for the future generations.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my special thanks to my tutor who gave me an opportunity to conduct a research
on an interesting topic i.e. To determine the impact of sustainable marketing for the promotion of
products”. A study of Marks and Spencer.
Secondary, I express my thanks to my friends and family who provided me appropriate
guidelines and support to complete each activity of the research in given time and successful
manner.
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Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...............................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................5
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................8
Benefits of sustainable marketing strategies................................................................................8
Impact of sustainable marketing for the promotion of products..................................................9
Strategies which Marks and Spencer can opt for promoting the products in a sustainable
manner.......................................................................................................................................11
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...................................................................................................13
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS......................................................................................................17
Discussion..................................................................................................................................32
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.............................................................................34
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................34
Recommendation.......................................................................................................................35
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................37
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................39
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INTRODUCTION
Overview of the topic
Sustainable marketing is defined as the promotion of social and environmentally
responsible items, practices, products and brand values. Organisations spend little more than
usual because there are many things that could be sourced locally and 100 percent recyclable,
then they experience sustainable marketing. Businesses could use sustainable marketing for a
particular product, as USP or as time sensitive cause. With the assistance of sustainable
marketing, organisations are making changes in the favour of protecting environment (Lam and
Li, 2019). There are many arguments on the issue of sustainability, especially when it comes to
marketing and business sustainability is big thing. In the recent years, sustainability has great
significance in every kind of organisation be it in any of the settings like social, economic and
environmental development. Sustainability is defined as knowledge to exist constantly. In the
opinion of marketers, sustainability is defined as process of taking business forward without
harming natural resources of the environment (Quoquab, Mohamed Sadom and Mohammad,
2020). They are concerned about using resources to support and endure business for long-term
development and growth.
The concept of sustainable marketing holds great importance that a company must meet
the requirements and needs of their current customers without making compromise in the ability
of future generations for fulfilling their own requirements and needs. In simpler words
sustainable marketing is the kind of marketing that focuses on using services and products that
respect the social and protect the environment aspects around. It is concerned about improving
quality of life by promoting services, ideas and products that do not harm the precious
environment (Lee, Kim and Lee, 2021). With the rise of environmental problems, society has
become more conscious in dealing with problems and issues. When organisations or business
ventures take participation in initiatives such as protecting the environment, they empower their
customers to do the same. Organisations get great brand visibility and more consumers who
stand with the message of protecting the environment. With the concept of sustainable marketing
organisations promote the long-run performance about the system of marketing (Low and et. al.,
2020).
In the present dissertation, investigator is focusing on determining the effect of
sustainable marketing for the promotion of products. The report would clearly express the
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different benefits by using strategies of sustainable marketing. The sustainable marketing
strategies hold great importance and which is explained in the current dissertation by
investigator.
Research problem
The main problem of the current dissertation is that organisations and businesses are not
much concerned about using sustainable marketing strategies in promoting their products and
services in front of their existing as well as potential customers.
Research aim
Main aim of this dissertation is “To determine the impact of sustainable marketing for the
promotion of products”. A study of Marks and Spencer.
Research objectives
● To determine the benefits of sustainable marketing strategies.
● To identify the impact of sustainable marketing for the promotion of products.
● To identify the strategies which Marks and Spencer can opt for promoting the products in
a sustainable manner.
Research questions
● What are the benefits of sustainable marketing strategies?
● What is the impact of sustainable marketing for the promotion of products?
● What are the strategies which Marks and Spencer can opt for promoting the products in a
sustainable manner?
Background of a company
Marks & Spencer is selected as chosen organisation in the current dissertation. It is a
British multinational retailer that is particularly specialised in selling of home products, food
products and clothing and it must be focused that they sell mostly products on its own label.
Marks & Spencer is a retail industry founded in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in
Leeds, United Kingdom. The headquarters of the company is located in London, England,
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United Kingdom. It is the company that provides its services of products worldwide in different
parts of the various countries.
Rationale of the research
The main motive of conducting the present dissertation is to know the importance of
sustainability in the organisation. It provides information about the usage of different sustainable
marketing strategies adopted by companies to protect the environment with fulfilling
requirements and demands of customers in sustainable and systematic manner. The current
dissertation is focused towards getting in-depth information to the reader about the advantages of
sustainable marketing strategies and its impact on promoting products (Gordon, Carrigan and
Hastings, 2011). There are two other significant objectives that are aimed to meet with two
different perspectives. The two kinds of perspectives that would be achieved through conducting
the current dissertation are: personal and professional perspective. With the assistance of current
dissertation, I have learned about the significance of sustainability in the current time where
there is serious need to protect the environment from harmful resources. From the point of view
of professional perspective, I have gained professional knowledge about the sustainable
marketing strategies, that are used by companies to keep their company for the environment. By
conducting this dissertation, I have also learnt that customers are more attracted to buy from
those organisations that take part in the initiative of protecting the environment (Melnyk And et.
al., 2013).
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LITERATURE REVIEW
For undertaking research activities, literature review plays a crucial role because it provides
comprehensive summary of previous studies on the basis of specified topic and area as well.
Basically, it summarises several articles that provide theoretical understanding about the research
topic. With the assistance of this, researcher can easily analyse all the objectives that contributes
in drawing a valid conclusion at the end of the study (Donohoe, 2012). It includes various
secondary sources including books, journals, articles, newspaper and many more. All these gives
theoretical analysis of research aims and objectives and also develop positive results to make
overall research more reliable and authentic in nature.
Benefits of sustainable marketing strategies
According to Ruhlin (2021), Sustainable marketing is focus on developing as well as
promoting products or services that assist in meeting customers’ needs and wants by utilising
society, human and cultural resources. Basically, sustainability marketing is considering as an
effective way to build positive relation with their customers and also provide them higher quality
services as per their needs and wants. Mainly, sustainability marketing is promotion of
environment and socially responsible products and practices that support company in enhancing
their customers base. In this context, there are some benefits of sustainable marketing strategies:
Improve brand image: This termed as the significance aspect that is effectively be gained
by the business with the execution of sustainable marketing strategy. Therefore, as per the report
analysis of national marketing institute it has been evaluated that around 58 percent of the
American buyers are likely to purchase their products and facilities through the businesses which
are mindful of their influence over the environment or on society. The report evaluation of NMI
it has been found that, these buyers are concern over spending up to 20 percent or more over the
environmentally sound items and services.
Increase productivity and reduce costs: This is also defined as another benefit of
implementing sustainable marketing strategy. However, the increasing sustainable business
practice will help the business in streamline the functions and creating a company more effective
and conserve aspects, decreasing a business’s operational cost (Hasan and Ali, 2015). Therefore,
the sustainable marketing is effective for the business in developing the productivity of the
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business and reducing the extra cost and this may lead the business towards gaining higher
growth and development.
Minimize Carbon Risk and Improve Energy Efficiency: Businesses are mainly expected
to reduce around 25 percent of their carbon emission through the year of 2020 and around 50
percent to 80 percent through the year of 2050 that will be mandated through state as well as
federal regulations. This will widely influences the availability and the cost of energy. Even as
the environmental laws are threatened, businesses and the corporations vow to regular their
sustainability efforts. However, the WEC energy group mainly announced in the month of may
which it has already reduced its carbon dioxide emission through 26 percent since the year of
2000. The businesses have planned to reduce the carbon emission even further (Kotler, 2012).
Attract new customers: This also termed as the key significance which is effectively
attained by the business with the emergence of sustainable marketing strategy, therefore, in the
modern business era, individual are very much concern over purchasing the product that are
environmental friendly in nature and businesses are also offering products that are implemented
through recycling tools, natural aspects. thus, this will create benefit for the business in
increasing the attraction of the customers at workplace.
On the other hand, Osman and et. al., (2016), there are various benefits of sustainable
marketing strategies for business organisation. These are improved brand image and competitive
advantages, increased productivity and reduce cost, increase business ability to comply with
regulation, attract employees and investors, reduce waste, make shareholders happy etc. These
are main benefits that helps retail industry in improvement of their business performance and
growth (6 Benefits of Becoming a Sustainable Business, 2019). In today’s modern era,
individual are seeking for carrier growth and development, therefore, employees are mainly
concern over work with the business which are proactive with the corporate environmental and
social programs. Through offering the sustainable practices and operations, businesses can
recruit and retain an effective talent pool at workplace, which helps the business in developing
the professional ability of the business and attaining higher growth and development.
Impact of sustainable marketing for the promotion of products
According to the view of Story (2019), sustainable marketing defined as the promotion of
environmental and socially responsible products, practices and brand values. Sustainable
marketing is a sort of marketing which uses products and services which respect he environment
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and social aspect around. It aims to improve life quality through promoting products, services
and the ideas which don’t harm the environment. In addition to this, sustainability is about
continuity, adopting behaviour and the practices to ensure that the planet is inhabitable or the
sources are available for the future generations. Thus, sustainable marketing is the most suitable
tool to be considered by the business to increasing the operational ability of the business. The
key objective of sustainable marketing is to develop products and services which will join the
global movement of protecting the environment and in this way, it basically motivates their
buyers to do the same. Sustainable marketing has implementing a change in the operations of the
business as individual knows that social and environmental challenges are big and required to be
tackled over a larger time frame than seasonal promotions. The audience within market aware
about the aspect that quick and sudden change is quite hard or impossible, so the businesses tool
initiates to protect the environment and implement aims that targets high scale alteration over a
wider time frame. Furthermore, sustainable marketing also defined as the green marketing where
business is widely focuses over social and environmental investment as an effective marketing
strategy, to develop the operational and functional ability of the business. Business in the modern
era are mainly criticized for waste, price mark-ups and the misleading advertising (Cameron and
et. al., 2016). For stabilise this sort of publicity, more businesses are turning to sustainability
marketing. However, the sustainability marketing is termed as the path to create interrelationship
with buyers while letting them know that they are essential and so are future generation, while it
is a growing area, sustainability marketing is an essential aspect of marketing tool. How many
businesses are there that can alter the business operations (Zeriti and et. al., 2014).
According to the Sheth and Parvatiyar (2021), sustainable marketing has direct positive
impact over the developing brand image of the business as it also helps in protecting the
environment which create value in gaining the attraction of more customers and increasing the
promotional aspect of the business to attain growth and success. Therefore, the sustainable
marketing helps the business to attracting customers with the implementation of the process like
recycling, environmental protection policies and so on to protecting the environment and
increasing the promotion of the business. Sustainable marketing is effective for the business in
promoting the products and services of the business to increasing the operational ability of the
business to attain higher growth and advancement (Peattie, 2012).
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Strategies which Marks and Spencer can opt for promoting the products in a sustainable manner
According to the view of Sulkowski (2020), sustainability is all about the trend where one
attain the impression which almost each and every business and brand is now advertising
sustainable and fair production even power producers, fast food giants and the mineral oil
businesses responsible for the huge CO2 emission. However, in general term, the aspect simple
greewashing is quickly be seen via and not a tool which promise long term growth (Kotler,
2011). Thus, green marketing and sustainable marketing by contrast, it termed as the art of
credibly marketing the own items as a truly sustainable business. According to the view of
Deighton (2017), Marks and Spencer is embarking over the second stage of its plan A strategy
and this time around its 100 sustainability pledges will be firmly integrated within the brands
master brand technique to actively engage buyers and develop tangible participation opportunity
(Kemper and Ballantine, 2019). the important strategies and ways are defined as below:
Educate the employees and Customers: This is the most effective way which creates
benefit for the business in promoting the products and services. Therefore, suitability is the key
concern of the business and individual within market are also concern over buying products from
the businesses which are implementing environmental safety aspect to contributing in
environmental safety. Businesses needs to provide training to their employees in relation to the
aspect of sustainability and also provide suitable idea of the significance of sustainability as it
create value for the business in increasing the promotion and attaining higher growth and
development.
Promote awareness: This also an effective way to promoting the operations of Marks and
Spencer, therefore, businesses needs to generate awareness in relation to the aspect of sustainable
marketing as it the most recognised way to promoting the operations of the business
(Pozdnyakova and et. al., 2017). As well as increasing awareness will also lead the business to
developing the base of customers and also contributing towards environmental safety and
security.
Use latest or updated technology: This is another and most effective strategy which will
create value for Marks and Spencer in promoting the operational ability of the business.
Therefore, business needs to implement upgraded technologies to increasing the production of
the business and also using the machines and the techniques that are effective in reducing the
carbon emission to protect the environment. This would be effective for the business in
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developing the operations and production to fulfilling the satisfaction level of customers and
developing the operational ability of business to attain growth and development.
Renewable materials and raw materials: This is the most recommended strategy which
needs to be implementing by Marks and Spencer to developing the operational ability also
enhancing the attraction of the customers. However, as a large and most considered fashion retail
business, Marks and Spencer should use renewable material and the raw material to producing
the most effective products and facilities for the customers and this will aid value for the
business in reducing the wastage and also minimising the CO2 emission that will help in
protecting the environment and helps the business to grow within market.
On the other hand, Patala and et. al., (2016), replacing tradition making with digital
marketing is important marketing strategy that helps in M&S in promoting the products in a
sustainable manner. This strategy will help them in saving their cost as well as time as well as
attract larger base of customers within less time. Along with this, implementation of CSR is the
widely applied approach, therefore, large as well as well small businesses are using CSR
approaches to promoting the operations of the business. In the modern and competitive business
era, Marks and Spencer needs to execute effective CSR activities like reducing wastage of
plastic, tree plantation, food to baggers and so on, that are effective in increasing the brand name
and helps the business to grow within market.
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